Lincoln awoke to the sound of harsh voices in the adjoining room. The sudden slam of a door jarred his half-asleep body and the movement of his jerk opened a small tunnel in the covers, exposing Will and himself to the cold early morning air. Letting out a quiet murmur, Will pulled Lincoln’s body back to the mattress and closer to him. With his face now nestled slightly into the chest of Will, the familiar scent and the steady tempo of the boy breathing lulled him gratefully back to sleep.

~~~~

The brisk morning air slithered over Lincoln's exposed body, waking him with it's frosty touch. His eyes blinked open and squinted against the silky golden light spreading through the room, his head turning to the side to escape the unwelcome illumination. Momentary alarm swept through his body when his eyes were met with another pair, but an entirely different emotion took hold when he recognized the unearthly blue orbs.

“Good morning, Lincoln”, his companion sleepily murmured onto the top of Lincoln’s head, his breath stirring the messy locks of hair and brushing his shoulders.

Lincoln suppressed a shiver and returned the greeting, stretching his body out of its lazy state. A mental debate ran through his body, the temptation to stay under the warm covers warring with his reasoning. It would be good to get an early start on the day, buying a horse for Will after retrieving his from the night before, then riding out to the small house they owned a little ways past the edge of town. On the other hand, the roads would still be covered in snow, despite the pause in the onslaught of snow and rain. Not to mention the pounding in his head, a product of last night’s antics no doubt, or the pounding in his heart for that matter.